Viability Imaging in Volumetric Angiography (VIVA 1)

The presence of myocardial scar using radionuclide or magnetic resonance imaging techniques indicates myocardial segments with a reduced likelihood of functional recovery following myocardial revascularization. Preliminary evidence suggests that multi-detector CT (MDCT) angiography also can detect irreversible myocardial scarring through the detection of regions of delayed hyperenhancement (DE) of the myocardium.1-4 However, existing studies have been performed in single centers, and the reproducibility, and impact of this modality on recovery of myocardial function is unknown. In this study, the investigators propose a single-center trial using a standardized MDCT DE protocol among patients scheduled for clinical cardiac CT with planned reoperative surgical. The primary endpoint will be characteristics of DE imaging of the myocardium including its inter-reader variability and factors associated with image quality. These findings will further our understanding of the role of DE MDCT for the detection of myocardial viability.